[Dixielandjazz] Re: link to great listening

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Bill,
My apologies for the delay in replying.
You ask about my late friend Smacka Fittzgibbon.
First off, you seem to have the radio jazz link wrong.
There is no >jazzology.uk<.
The only two such sites are in the US and Australia.
I suggest that it is the Australian one you were referring to.
It is run by Peter Cowden and is associated officially with George Buck in
New Orleans.
Peter Cowden runs the weekly podcast 'Jazzology Half Hour' and recently
played a track by Smacka.
Peter runs a jazz CD mail order servive and can supply most Australia jazz
CDs, including those featuring Smacka Fitzgibbon. As the Australian agent
for Jazzology, he can also supply CDs from George Buck's extensive
catalogue.
You can contact Peter Cowden at
  jazzolog at jazzology.com.au
(I have already forwarded a copy of your email to my mate Peter.)
So far as Smacka is concerned, here is an amended/corrected biography based
on one published in the 'Brighton Cemetorian' magazine.

Graham Francis ŒSmacka¹ Fitzgibbon     (1930-79)     
[Jazz Musician, Entertainer & Restaurateur.]
Fitzgibbon was born at Mordialloc on 12 February 1930, the son of Francis
(Frank) Fitzgibbon, clerk and Minnie née Mitchell (d 1989). 
His mother Min and sister Maggie were popular Australian entertainers,
Maggie, with an international reputation.
Graham was educated at St. Bede¹s College, Mentone, was nicknamed ŒSmacka¹
and began playing the ukulele at an early age before switching to the banjo.
His earliest influences were Bing Cosby and Louis Armstrong.  
He joined Len Barnard's Jazz Band in 1949, freelanced, then joined Frank
Johnson¹s Fabulous Dixielanders in 1952.
He also worked with the famous pioneer of Australian jazz, Graeme Bell,
before forming his own band, ³The Steamboat Stompers² in the 1950s.
Smacka's first records under his own name were made in 1955 (all available
on CD). 
He also recorded some wonderful sides with Frisco Joe¹s Good Time Boys/Jazz.
(Frisco Joe was pianist Graeme Bell.) Most of these recordings are also
available on CD
In 1969 Smacka opened Melbourne¹s first jazz restaurant ³La Brochette²
(Studley Park Road, Kew) and later in June 1971 ³Smacka¹s Place² (Chetwynd
Street, North Melbourne) which featured local and interstate jazz groups and
singers and became a Melbourne institution.
Smacka's recipe for an enjoyable night out was an ample supply of ³good
food, good liquor, and good entertainment².
Described as ³plump and smiling with a warm and friendly genial
personality², Smacka was a much loved entertainer, a rare breed who left a
smile on everyone¹s face and a familiar face on Melbourne television shows,
notably ³Sunnyside Up², ³The Penthouse Club² and ³In Melbourne Tonight (with
Graham Kennedy)².  
In 1972, the jovial Australian jazzman recorded the title song for the
unforgettable film 'The Adventures of Barry McKenzie' which became a popular
hit.  
Smacka had a malignant tumour removed in 1955 and many years later, on 1
September 1977 he collapsed during a 3LO radio broadcast. In July 1979 he
was his condition was diagnosed as terminal and he died from a cerebral
haemorrhage on 15 December aged 49.
He is survived by his wife Faye née Hommelhoff, whom he married on 31
October 1959, and four children.
Daughter Nichaud is now a noted Australian jazz entertainer ³thrilling
audiences with her distinctive, smouldering style for many years and is
regarded as one of Australia¹s finest jazz stylists².  
Several thousand people attended a rather colourful funeral service - 'Mass
for Smacka - with Frank Traynor¹s Jazz Preachers playing the New Orleans
hymn ³Oh Didn¹t He Ramble² for the funeral march in honour of the man
described ³as Melbourne as the River Yarra." [On which this Victorian city
was founded.]  
On 8 November 2004, a tribute show ³Remembering Smacka² was held at the
Melbourne Arts Centre in honour of the man best remembered ³for his popular
jazz club, his dapper dress code (spotted bow ties, striped jackets, checked
pants and two-tone shoes) and his passionate love of vintage cars².

Kind regards,
Bill. (Sydney, Australia.)